Mom Leaves 8-Month-Old With A Sitter, Comes Back To A Horrifying Discovery

When Katherine Frerichs left her 8-month-old son at home with a sitter for a few hours, she didn’t expect that those short moments away from her child would change their lives forever.

Katherine had left the house to attend her class about child protective services at the Offut Air Force Base in Lincoln Nebraska. During that time, the thought never crossed her mind that the babysitter would do something so drastic that it would change the course of her son Ethan’s life forever.

While ‘looking after’ Ethan, the babysitter, Michelle Charles, aggressively shook the baby, which resulted in heavy amounts of brain damage.

Katherine decided to press charges against Michelle, after which Michelle pleaded guilty, stating that her actions were owing to the fact that she was mad at the baby’s mother. Michelle was convicted and was penalized with a two-year long sentence in prison.

Katherine came forward with her incredible story to spread awareness about the dangers of shaken baby syndrome. However, she also assured parents that there is still hope if this has happened to their child, as showcased in an interview with KETV in 2011, where Ethan was shown to be a happy and energetic second grader.

She hopes to educate parents on the dangers of shaken baby syndrome by looking out for the visible signs, which include the following:

Extreme amounts of irritability
Difficulty in staying awake
Difficulty in breathing
Loss of appetite
Shaking
Vomiting
Pale skin
Constant Seizures
Paralysis in a particular part of the body
While Ethan now leads a relatively normal life, he was required to undergo brain surgery. His right arm has been permanently damaged and he has trouble seeing with his right eye. Katherine believes that there is no use in being angry with Michelle anymore, as the anger would not benefit Ethan’s condition in any way.

According to the Mayo Clinic, shaken baby syndrome cannot be caused by a bouncing child, minor falls or play. It is generally caused when a parent or caretaker vigorously shakes the baby out of frustration.